System-wide Spotlight search coming to iPhone?

Apple Inc. may use a future software update to address a lack of search functionality on its iPhone handset, according to discoveries made by bloggers rummaging through the device's embedded resource files.

After locating traces of unsupported widgets and applications last month, bloggers at iPhoneology now claim to have turned up two iPhone-specific interface images relating to unsupported Spotlight search capabilities.

The image files, named 'spotlight-full' and 'spotlight-keyboard,' are formatted with dimensions that match the handset's display, implying that they've been created specifically for the device and were not existing Mac OS X files that may have accidently slipped into the iPhone's software.

In particular, the 'spotlight-full' image appears to be a gradient that would form the backdrop of a Spotlight results listing. Similar to the way Spotlight functions on a Mac, an iPhone implementation would presumably scour mail, notes, bookmarks, and media files, presenting results to the user an organized and sortable list.

In a similar instance last month, the same bloggers discovered preference files within the iPhone software for two unsupported widgets (phonebook and translation) and two native applications (radio and unitconverter).

Along with their Spotlight discoveries this week, the bloggers also located a previously unseen widget icon within the iPhone's SpringBoard application directory -- a directory associated with the handset's home screen (or application launcher).

I mean seriously... If you can't even say what the icon appears to represent, why bother? Do you have any information at all about the icon? With no more info than that, it sounds made up, but then again, maybe you just didn't finish your thought. [edit] OH! My bad. It is literally the default WIDGET icon. I get it now.

When they add the Spotlight icon they should add a Dashboard icon to the home-screen too (in the same update), then lump the two iPhone widgets (weather and stocks) into it. Then if you want a widget you tap dashboard.

It would clean up the home-screen even more. And would allow loads of room for a games icon and an iChat icon on the home-screen. Then they could work on adding more widgets to the existing two. Like a Dictionary and the Unit Converter, for starters.

I agree that more storage -- for a similar price and form factor -- is better than less.

But what is the basis for your comment above? What aspects of its use or promised functionality are compromised by the lack of storage?

Well widgets don't take up that much storage, but the iPhone is still crying out for more. It's actually the main reason I wouldn't buy gen 1. The Euro iPhone will have 3G, I'm sure of it, but more storage is what the iPhone really needs. It is after all a touch-screen wide-screen iPod. I'd settle for 16GB, but I really would love 32GB.

When they add the Spotlight icon they should add a Dashboard icon to the home-screen too

The widgets and apps on the iPhone don't have the same relationship as they do on the Mac. Everything on the home screen are basically widgets so it pretty much is dashboard.

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Well widgets don't take up that much storage, but the iPhone is still crying out for more

I thought this too at first and did not understand why Apple did not include more. But now discovering that the world flash supply is tight. There is more demand than suppliers can manufacture. Apple already consumes 40% of Samsung's capacity and Samsung supply's about 50% of the worlds flash. Apple has to divide limited flash reserves between its own products.

Quote:

The Euro iPhone will have 3G, I'm sure of it

I doubt it. Apple would need to build an entirely different phone to accommodate current 3G chips. Jobs has taken a strong stance against this, I seriously doubt they will.

Well widgets don't take up that much storage, but the iPhone is still crying out for more. It's actually the main reason I wouldn't buy gen 1. The Euro iPhone will have 3G, I'm sure of it, but more storage is what the iPhone really needs. It is after all a touch-screen wide-screen iPod. I'd settle for 16GB, but I really would love 32GB.

Probably will get 16GB in 2008, and 32GB in 2009.

Oh boy, I don't think we'll rehash those debates.......

Each person's needs and mileage vary.

My personal viewpoint as a user since Day 1: As someone who owns 4gig, 5gig, 40gig, and 60gig versions of the various generations of iPod (incl. Nano), and now the iPhone, I can tell you that this 8gig iPhone has hit the sweet spot for me. And, other than for the internet, which is slow (but not anywhere as badly so as indicated in reviews such as those by Pogue), the rest of the apps (mail, sms, weather, stocks, etc) are absolutely fine with 2.5G wireless access. (YouTube is slow too, but I don't use it much).

The two so-called "spotlight" images referenced are semitransparent PNG overlays used to fade out the background when a dialog pops up. The "spotlight" they refer to in their filenames is the lighting effect whereby the edges of the screen are faded darker than the center. The images have absolutely nothing to do with Spotlight, the Mac OS X search mechanism.

The two so-called "spotlight" images referenced are semitransparent PNG overlays used to fade out the background when a dialog pops up. The "spotlight" they refer to in their filenames is the lighting effect whereby the edges of the screen are faded darker than the center. The images have absolutely nothing to do with Spotlight, the Mac OS X search mechanism.

The two so-called "spotlight" images referenced are semitransparent PNG overlays used to fade out the background when a dialog pops up. The "spotlight" they refer to in their filenames is the lighting effect whereby the edges of the screen are faded darker than the center. The images have absolutely nothing to do with Spotlight, the Mac OS X search mechanism.

An illustration of the effect:

Even so I take hope that the radio image is true. Internet radio on the iPhone would make it that much more desirable.

What are you searching for on the iPhone in the first place? Its not like you can do anything with the data once you *find* it.

Can you copy it? No.
Can you cut it? No.
Can you paste it? No.
Can you delete it? Probably not (or least you have to wait for an iTunes sync to delete things like pictures, etc.).

Spotlight searches for objects like contacts and addresses doesn't make sense, after all, anytime you fill out a google search field, a Maps field or a new email message, the iPhone *finds* contacts and related things like addresses for you as your type.

Until the iPhone is more like a "Pocket Mac" (with cut & paste, file system access, mountable disk mode, sharing services ,etc) Spotlight wont do much for me.

A friend will help you move, but a REAL FRIEND will help you move a body.

If you owned a "Palm" product you would see the value in a spotlight search. With over a thousand contacts, being able to search for the contact you need by any piece of information (like you can with a Palm) is VERY useful. It would allow some of us to ditch our Palm products and just carry the iPhone.

Google search and Map search will not fill this contact search void. I'm sure Palm hopes the search feature never arrives on the iPhone.